Liquid and gas contact apparatus



J. A. GRIER LIQUID AND GAS CONTACT APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet -1 Filed Oct. 25. 1945 FIG.4

I mil l |l l l Hill lllill Feb. 13, 1951 J. A. GRIER 2,541,757

LIQUID AND GAS CONTACT- APPARATUS Filed Oct. 25. 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

J. A. GRIER 2,541,757

LIQUIDANDGAS CONTACTAPPARATUSY Feb. 13, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filled Oct. 25. 1945 FIG.7.

III l 1 I I y {I b i (H CH1 1 i I INVENTOR.

enema Febi13, 1951 LIQUID AND GAS CONTACT APPARATUS John Alfred Grier, Bronxville, N. Y., assignor, by

mesne assignments. to Cleveland-Detroit Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application October 25, 1945, Serial No. 624,365

whichwater is sprayed in the presence of CO2 gas, the temperature of said surface approaching the temperature at which the water (inits liquid state) absorbs a maximum of the gas.

6 Claims. (Cl. 261-11) Yet another object of the invention is the provision, in a carbonator, of a tank for the carbonated water, a tubular refrigerated low side within and having its axis parallel to the axis of said tank, means about the outer wall of said low side to cool the water prior to carbonation, and means for directing a spray of the cooled water against the cold inner wall of said low ide in the presence of the CO2 gas.

A further object of the invention is the provision, within the inner wall of the tubular refrigerated low side, of means in heat exchange relation with said low side for increasing the refrigerated surface over which the spray trickles as it moves downwardly toward the bottom of the tank, thereby increasing the contact between the finely divided particles of water and the gas.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a refrigerated low side unit of tubular form, having inner and outer tubular chambers connected to a high Side refrigerating unit, and a third tubular chamber embraced and bounded by said inner and outer chambers, the walls of said third chamber being common with the adjacent walls of the inner and the outer chambers.

'Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view, by way of example, of one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation taken along the lines 2-2 of Figure 1, and showing the circuit of a refrigerant through the device and other details;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken along the lines 3-4 of Figure 1, and show- 2 ing the circuit of the water through cooling coils prior to its atomization into the main tank;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken along the lines ll of Figure 1, and showing the connection for leading the CO2 into the device and also the pipe for delivering the carbonated water from the tank;

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing diagrammatically the connections of the several auxiliary elements to the tank;

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of a tank such as that shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive with a modified low side and water cooling element, and means for increasing the time the finely divided water is in contact with the CO2 gas;

Figure 7 is an elevation of the device shown in -Figures 1 to 5 inclusive in combination with a preferred means for opening a switch when a predetermined quantity of carbonated water is contained in the tank and for closing said switch when the quantity of carbonated water in said tank has been reduced to a second predetermined quantity; and

Figure 8 is a circuit diagram showing the electrical circuits employed in my new and improved carbonating system.

Referring first to Figure 2, which shows the refrigerating element, the cooling coils for the water, and other details, the refrigerating element or "low side In consists of a cylindrical member II which forms the outer wall thereof, and a second cylindrical member If within the outer cylindrical member H. The end I! of the member I! is flared outwardly to meet the interior surface of the member ll near the upper end thereof, and is welded thereto about its entire line of contact, as indicated at IS. The other end I of the member i2 is also flared outwardly to meet the interior surface of the member near the lower end thereof at the bottom end of the member II, and is welded thereto about its entire line of contact as indicated by the numeral 16. Except for the inlet and outlet connections, thi low side unit In is fluid tight, and performs three functions all of which are conductive to the delivery of a higher grade of carbonated water than existingdevices for carbonating water:

(a) The outer cylindrical wall I l is in heat exchange relation with to meansto be presently described for initially cooling the water to a substantially low temperature before it is carbonated. w

(b) The inner cylindrical wall i2 forms a refrigerated surface (at least as cold as, or colder than the initially cooled water) 'against which said water is sprayed in the presence of CO:

gas.

The carbonated water settles to the bottom of the tank, to be presently described, and since the low side is partially submerged in the carbonated water. it refrigerates the carbonated water until it is withdrawn from the tank.

The upper end of the cylindrical member ii, above the circular weld II has a plurality of openings l'l formed therein, leaving a plurality of webs ll therebetween.

A metallic plate Ill, forming the top of the carbons-tor, has a downwardly projecting annular flange it formed thereon, and the webs it are welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the flange II.

'2i terminates in a boss 25 formed in the plate 20. Both these conduits may be welded into the plate Ill, or they may be secured in any other desired manner. Caution must be exercised to insure that no refrigerant leaks can possibly occur.

' Wound about the outer wall ll of the evaporator is a coil of tubing 2., and one end 21 leads from the lower end of the coil 2. to a boss 28 formed on the plate 20. The other end 29 leads from the upper end of the coil to a boss at formed on the plate 20. Water may be delivered to either end of the coil 20 and removed from the other, and since the coil is in heat exchange 'relation with the evaporator It, the water is rapidly cooled.

The webs it are welded to the flange I9, and the respective conduits and the ends of the water coil may be secured in fluid tight relation to the head 20 and tested before the outer tank II is assembled on the head 20.

The head 20 has a second downwardly projecting annular flange, this second flange being at the circumference thereof also formed integral therewith, and to this second flange the upper end of the tank II is welded.

The tank Il may be formed in one piece, but I prefer to fabricate it of a cylindrical member 32 with a domed bottom member a welded onto the bottom end thereof. The lower end of the evaporator may have anchor rods 3| secured thereto, and these anchor rods may extend through holes in the bottom member a when the upper end of the tank II is positioned on the flange l2 and welded thereto. The projecting ends of the anchor rods may then be cut off, and these rods may be welded into the holes through which they extended, to form a fluid tight joint. These anchor rods hold the lower end of the evaporator rigidly so that the device may withstand severe shocks without damage.

A boss 3! formed integral with the plate 20 (Figure 4), has a threaded hole therein, into which a fitting may be screwed for leading the CO: gas into the top of the tank. A boss 38 also formed integral with the plate 10, has a threaded hole therein and extending downwardly therefrom to a point near the bottom of the tank is 4 I a pipe .1 through which carbonated water is delivered from the tank.

A boss 38 also formed integral with the plate (Figure 1) is provided for purging air from the tank, and a central boss as formed integral with the plate has a threaded hole formed therein to accommodate a nozzle fltting ll, the lower end 62 of which is adapted to atomize water on the interior walls of the upper end of the evaporator. Connected to the nozzle fltting ll, is a check valve ll, which is, in turn, connected via a short curved pipe ll to a fltting ll mounted in the boss It, so that as water is pumped through the coil 28, the water is cooled and is delivered via its upper end it and the check valve to the male fltting 40 and is sprayed or atomized from the nozzle end 42 in the presence of CO: gas. At least a portion of the flnely divided cold water impinges on the cold interior wall of the upper end of the evaporator.

It is well known that. the colder the water, the greater its power to absorb CO: gas,- therefore by spraying or atomizlng the already cold water on the slightly colder wail of the evaporator, I obtain a maximum absorption of the gas by the water.

Now, in order to increase the time in which the divided wateris in contact with the gas I may employ, for example, a helical member ll supported on a central tubular shaft N. I am aware of the fact that such devices have been used before in this art for the same mim sa. However, I have a distinct advantage in so forming my helical member that it must be forced into the inner opening in the evaporator, and since this helical member is formed of metal, it is in heat exchange relation to the evaporator. From this it will be seen that I not only increase the time of contact between the water and the gas, but I also provide a long metallic path for it and this path is refrigerated by the evaporator.

Preferably the carbonator is maintained approximately one third full of carbonated water and, although many different methods may be used for shutting off a motor driven pump (to be presently described) which forces the water through the cooling coil 26 and the spray nozzle 42, I prefer to use the change in weight of the carbonated water in the device to control said motor driven pump. One such arrangement is shown in Figure 7. An annular ring it forms a socket for the head end ll of the tank 3| and it may be tack-welded to said head at several spaced points. Formed integral with the ring ll is an annular flange portion n. A spaced series of cups 8 may be spot welded to the lower surface of the flange portion 41. An annular ring 49 has an inner surface clearing the periphery of the flange portion 41, and formed integral with the upper end of the ring 49 is an inwardly projecting flange 50 which overlies the flange portion 41. The lower end of the ring 40 is flared outwardly at II with a shoulder formed inside. A closure plate 52 rests on said shoulder and carries cups It similar to and in alignment with the cups 48. The closure plate may be secured to the shoulder by means of screws (not shown), and mounted in the center oi the plate is a switch 54 of the spring loaded plunger type having an actuator plunger it which when depr d y engagement with the convex lower end of the tank opens the switch. when the tank becomes lighter due to the withdrawal of a predetermined quantity of carbonated water, the plunger 58 is released and allows the switch to close. PO81- 'tioned in the aligned cups above described are compression springs it of suflicient strength to counterbalance the weight of the tank. its contents and the pull of the conduit connected therevia a branch wire 83 to the switch 54, and the switch 54 is in turn connected to the other terminal of the motor ill. With the supply switch I closed, the control switch 54 effects the operation of the motor driven pump when the tank becomes lighter and shuts it of! as the tank becomes heavier.

In Figure 5 is shown schematically the several elements connected to the device. The water pump 51 has an inlet pipe 64 connected to a source of water supply 65, and its outlet pipe 66 connected to a fitting 61 in the boss 28, which in turn leads the water through the water coil 26 wound about the evaporator III inside the tank 3|. The outlet 28 of the water coil leads to the boss Ill and via the fitting 68, the pipe 45, and the check valve H, to the spray head 40.

A refrigeration high side unit 10 has the suction of its compressor 69 connected via a pipe 12 to a fitting 13 in the boss 24, the latter being connected via pipe 23 to the interior of the upper end of the evaporator Ill. The liquid receiver II is connected via a tubing 14 to a fitting 15 mounted in the boss 25. The tubing 14' may be of the so called "papillary" type which elminates the expansion valve, or it may be larger in diameter and include an expansion valve. Since both forms are well known in the art and form no part of the invention per so, they need not be described in detail.

The boss 35 carries a fitting 16 to which one end of a pipe I1 is connected. The other end of the pipe 11 is connected to a reducing valve 18 on a tank I! of CO2 gas.

The boss 38 carri:s a fitting ill to which a pipe may be connected for leading carbonated water to a point of use. It has already been described that a pipe 31 (Figure 4) leads from the boss down to a point below the level of the carbonated water in the tank.

The boss 38 may carry a purge valve 8| for purging air from the tank.

In the modification shown in Figure 6, the

evaporator Illa is similar to the evaporator III.

above described. It consists of a tubular portion Ila with a tubular portion In smaller in diameter positioned within and flared out at each end to contact the inner wall of the portion Ila, and the two are welded together at lid and Ilia to form a fluid tight chamber therebetween.

- Now, instead of a water coil 26 wound about the evaporator as previously described, a third tubular portion 82, and a fourth tubular portion I are provided. The tubular portion 82 is larger in diameter than the portion Ila, and its ends I and 84 are flared inwardly to contact the outer wall of the portion Ila and are welded to the latter to form a water cooling chamber '85 therebetween.

The tubular portion 86 is smaller in diameter than the portion I2a and its ends 81 and 88 are flared outwardly to contact the tubular portion Ila and welded thereto to form a second water cooling chamber ll. Periorations 9t, formed-in the tubular portion Ila, provide communication between the upper ends 01- the cooling chambersand", and the lower ends of these chambers communicate .via similar perforations, one of which is shown at 9|.

The tour portions fso welded form a combination evaporator and water cooling unit which may be mounted on the head 20 in the same manner as described in connection with Figures 2 and 3.

A pipe 02 leads liquid refrigerant to the lower end of the evaporator Ilia and the pipe 93 leads therefrom to the suction of the refrigerating high side unit (such as 69 Figure 5). V

The water to be cooled enters the chamber via a pipe 94, and cooled water leaves the chamber 89 via the pipe 95. The water passes from chamber 85 to chamber 89 via the perforations 90 and SI. The top plate 20 may be identical with the one shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, and although the pipes above described are not shown, as connected thereto, they may be connected in the same manner as those shown in Figures 2 to 5 inclusive.

It is obvious that many changes may be made in the arrangements herein shown and described within the scope of the appended claims:

I claim:

1. In a carbonator, a tank, a tubular evaporator within and depending from the upper end of said tank, said evaporator having an inner and an outer wall with a space therebetween for refrigerant, open passages between the upper and lower ends of said evaporator and the upper and lower ends of said tank respectively, means for passing water through said tank in heat exchange relation to the outer wall of said evaporator prior to carbonating the same, means for supplying CO2 gas under pressure to said tank, and means to spray the then cooled water in the form of a conical spray having its apex uppermost so as to cause at least a substantial portion thereof to impinge upon the inner wall ofsaid evaporator in the presence of said gas to effect a maximum absorption of the gas by said water.

2. Ina carbonator, a vertical drum-like vessel forming a tank having an upper end plate and having its lower end domed, a tubular evaporator positioned within said tank and having inner and outer walls with a space therebetween for refrigerant, means for guiding water to be cooled in heat exchange relation with the outer wall of said evaporator, said last means terminating outside of said tank, a spray nozzle connected to the terminus of said last means and positioned in spaced axial relation tothe upper end of said evaporator, said nozzle being adapted to spray cooled water within the inner wall of said evaporator in the form of a conical spray having its apex near said upper end plate, whereby at least some of said spray impinges on the surface of said inner wall, means to deliver CO: gas to the interior of said tank, and means to deliver carbonated water from said tank, said end plate carrying connections for the entering and leaving water, the entering and leaving refrigerant, said CO2 gas, and for the exit of said carbonated water.

3. In a carbonator, a tubular, vertical tank having an upper end plate and having its lower end domed, a tubular evaporator supported within said tank in spaced relation to both said ends and the interior wall thereof, conduit means surrounding and embracing said evapanswer orator, inlet andoutlet'water connections to said I conduit, means for connecting said evaporator to a refrigerating machine, connections from said tank to a source of CO: gas under pressure, and a connection leading upwardly from the lower end of said tank for carbonated water, all said connections passing through said end plate.

4. In a carbonator, a tank having a top closure plate secured thereto in fluid-tight relation, a tubular evaporator therein, said evaporator having inner and outer walls welded together on their ends to provide a fluid-tight space therebetween for refrigerant, said evaporator being supported by and depending from said plate, means to refrigerate said evaporator, means embracing the outer wall of'said evaporator and defining a confined path through which water to be carbonated may pass, said last means bein in heat exchange relation with said outer wall of the evaporator and precooling. said water,-

means to supply CO: gas under pressure to the interior of said tank, a spraying device supported on said top closure plate and extending axially into the upper end of said evaporator, connections between said confined path and said device whereby the latter may spray the then cooled water downwardly within said evaporator in the form of a cone having its apex uppermost to cause at least a part thereof to impinge upon the inner wall of said evaporator in the presence of said gas, and means spaced apart from the lower end of said spray means for retarding the travel of droplets of said spray collected on said inner wall, toward the bottom of said tank.

5. In liquid and gas contact apparatus, a vertical, cylindrical vessel, a tubular evaporator vertically disposed within said vessel, said evapout of said vessel, said liquid being in heat exchange relation with the outer wall of said evaporator during its passage through said vessel, and means to again deliver said liquid into said vessel through the top thereof in the form of a conical spray directed downwardly within the confines of said evaporator and in the presence of said gas, a substantial portion of said spray being adapted to impinge on the inner wall of said evaporator and adapted to slowly trickle down the surface thereof in contact with saidgas, the temperatures of said liquid and of said evaporator being such that a maximum absorp-' tion of said gas by said liquid is effected.

6. In a carbonator, a tank, a tubular evap-' orator within and depending from the upper end of said tank, an open passage between the upper end of said evaporator and said tank, the bottom of said tank communicating with both the inner and the outer surfaces of said evaporator, means to refrigerate said evaporator, means to supply 00; gas under pressure to the interior of said tank, and means to inject water into the upper end of said tank in the form of a conical spray having its apex uppermost so that the spray impinges on the inner wall of said evaporator; whereby said water, cooled on the surface of said inner wall in the presence of said gas absorbs the latter and trickles down said surface towards the bottom of said tank.

JOHN ALFRED GRIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: p

' STATES PATENTS 

